


The Noctiphany Terror

by Hades_approves0



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Manipulative Tom Riddle, Multi, Possessive Tom Riddle, Teenage Tom Riddle, Young Tom Riddle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:00:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29329713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hades_approves0/pseuds/Hades_approves0
Summary: It’s getting dark in this little heart of mineAnd as I waltz into the nightThe shadows bow before my crimesSo you’d better hold on tight‘cause the devil won’t play nice.I will crawl up in your mindand devour your brain like a diseaseI’ll drink your soul ‘till nothing’s left behindTo feed my flame so I don’t freeze.I’ll seek you out and flay you aliveBecause on the Devil’s altar, up is downYour pain is my pleasureand your slavery —my freedom;I’m devoted to destructionI’ll burn the world aliveand I will walk slow trough the fire-just to see you cry.
Relationships: Tom Riddle | Voldemort/Original Female Character(s), Tom Riddle/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2





	1. Prologue

** Prologue   
The Creation of a Goddess **

_ The sky of fire comes along with the setting sun, but for him there is no beauty in it. He sits there, on the very edge of Earth, the wind blowing his long dark hair, the light sculpting his sharp features, painting him as a god. Because he is. _

_But his heavenliness contrasts his glacial soul and not even the warm rays can melt his iced heart._

_Only when the wraith silver disc ascends in the lonely dark sky, his soul defrosts, watching as she rises from the platinum glow of the sea._

_He watches as she walks out of the tranquil water, her white dress embracing her body and her tawny hair falling in waves on her back._

_And for a moment, when her grey eyes meets his stygian ones, the world falls silent so they can hear it is wrong. Even the Time slows down to show them that it is foul._

_But they can't hear nor see other than each other. So they reunite once again and as their lips collide, the sky falls apart and the earth trembles in horror._

_And when they stand apart, the sun blooms from the water, the sin is already committed and the silence consumes them once again._

_They both walk away with a smile on their lips, oblivious to what they have just created._

A child of mischief and sorcery, burdened with glorious purpose.


	2. Chapter One

**Wonder**

~ _The 9th of February, 1927~_

_ "I beg your pardon?" his loud voice booms in the small hospital room. Fortunately,  she  is the only one who is able to hear and see him. _

_"Don't yell at me! It was the best option!" she whispers, standing by his side as her gaze lingers on the pregnant woman that is whining on the white bed._

_ "You  transferred our baby into a mortal's body! Are you insane?" the man hisses, clenching his jaw at the goddess standing on his right. _

_"It was the only way to keep her safe! If Ze-"_

_ " Her ?" he cuts off the woman's sentence. "It's a girl?" his eyes soften only for a moment, then he quickly puts on his cold, emotionless expression. "When were you going to tell me?" _

_"My love.." she muses, moving in front of_ _him and cupping his face. He eases under her touch and closes his eyes to calm down. She was the only one in this world who had this effect on him._

_"We have to keep her a secret.. otherwise they will find her.." she lets out a shaky breath, before regaining her strength to talk. "They will kill her, or worse, weaponise her."_

_"I know.." the tall man murmurs and plants a kiss on his lover forehead. "But we can't let her to the mercy of a filthy witch."_

_Her_ _arms wrap around his torso and he caresses her back. They know how wrong it is, but they can't help themselves._

_It is forbidden for gods to be together with others than their own kind, specifically religion._

_Yes, they do have thousands of offsprings with the mortals, but this is something so inevitable that the Rulers had to allow it. Plus, demigods are easy to manipulate, always good for an army and most of them are assigned with the tasks that no god wants._

_ So this sacred rule,  δεν αγαπάς άλλο από το δικό σου είδος ~den agapás állo apó to dikó sou eídos~  meaning  love no other that your own kind,  couldn't stop the Norse God of Mischief and the Greek Goddess of Sorcery from falling in love and having, unintentionally, a child like no other. _

_A child like the one who is about to be born never existed before, so they didn't know what to expect. But without doubt, the girl will wield a power that was never seen before._

_To give birth to such a powerful being can weaken even the strongest, so it was well known that the dark haired woman that was unwillingly having a child is going to die._

_ Tanith Nott, a remarkable and strong witch, famous in the wizarding world for her achievements as an auror, survived a duel with Grindelwald himself, but is sentenced to death by a child that is not even hers. Disowned by her own family for having the baby with a  muggle,  as they thought, Tanith couldn't bring herself to hate the little girl.. _

_After seven hours of labour, a high pitched cry fills the room. The little girl is finally born and the woman is giving her last breath._

_Melania Black, née Macmillan,one of the healers that assisted Tanith, is now standing by her bed, holding tightly her hand._

_"Mel.. please" the woman barely whispers, "Take care of my baby."_

_"Don't say this, Tanith! You will survive this!"her friend comforts her._

_"Promise me.."_

" _I promise I'll take care of .." Melania sighs, giving the woman a sad smile while awaiting to hear the baby's name._

_"Hydra."the man whispers and the witch looks up, locking eyes with him. The two gods are astonished, they were supposed to be invisible to human eyes._

_"Hydra." she whispers, giving a_ weak smile to the baby in her arms.

_The healer of St. Mungo's Hospital leaves the room to bring tea for the sick woman that is trying to decipher what is happening. The striking beauty of the gods and their presence is too much for her to handle._

_"You can see us." the goddess states, her strong but soothing voice calms down the weak woman._

_"Who are you?" she manages_ to ask.

" _I am Loki, rightful king of Jötunheimr, prince of Asgard and the God of Mischief." he introduces himself with a charming smile._

_"He is quite conceited as you can see." the woman that is standing next to him rolls her eyes in amusement. "I am Hekate."_

_"Goddess of sorcery, night and necromancy." Tanith speaks in awe. "But how.. how is this possible?"_

" _You are a witch, aren't you?" Loki smirks and the woman can't help but stare at the handsome man, dressed in an all black suit, with his dark long hair slicked back._

_ "In a world where magic exists,  gods don't sound that surreal." Hekate smiles kindly. _

_"You are her parents, aren't you?" she coughs, looking at the baby sleeping in a little bed._

_"We are.But-" Loki is cut off by a loud crunch. Melania is standing in the doorframe, a puddle of tea and lots of pieces of ceramic._

_"Who are you?" she quickly closes the door, muttering a spell to repair the mess she made._

_After_ _explaining everything to Mrs. Black, the two gods were getting ready to leave. They have been in the same place for too long, the Rulers would find out if they did not go soon._

_Before leaving, Hekate held the girl in her arms and Loki stood behind her, arms wrapped around her waist and chin rested on her shoulder._

_Hydra looks up to her father, changing her eyes into a pair of golden snake alike ones, but it only lasts a second_ , before going back to normal.

_"You saw that, right?" Hekate smiles._

_"Yes. A shape shifter and most likely, a mistress of persuasion.." he smirks proudly._

_"Just like her father.."she sighs, shaking her head amused._

_ That night, Tanith passed away with a small smile plastered on her face and the two lovers left their precious child in the arms of a family in which  love  is a foreign word. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiii!
> 
> ⚠️I do not own any of the characters except Hydra Black, Delilah Osborne, Tanith Nott, Loki and Hekate! The rest of them (hope I didn't omit any) belong to JKR, of course.⚠️  
> The next chapter will contain the cast list!
> 
> EXPLANATION  
> A relationship between two gods of different culture is strictly forbidden because of the power the child is going to posses and also because gods of one culture loathe the others.  
> The Rulers are the gods who rule their kingdom: Zeus(Greek), Odin(Norse), Jupiter(Roman),Indra(Hindu), Wotan(German) etc.


	3. Chapter Two

**Pain and suffering**

Rain drops were racing down the window as the fourteen year old girl sank even deeper in the green armchair. Her unfocused gaze didn't leave the window as her brain ran at million thoughts per second. Screaming and cursing coming from the kitchen were now her background music.

'Wonderful, isn't it?'

Her head pounded like hell and her back hurt from the uncomfortable position she had been sitting in for the last hours. But she didn't feel like moving. She sensed someone entering the room, but remained silent because she didn't feel like talking either.

"Hydra." her mother's usually stern voice was soft. However, it was too late for her or for anyone else to act nicely towards the girl now. "Please, talk to me."

"There is not much to talk about, is it?" Hydra's tone came out dull and her eyes were focused on the storm that was unleashing outside. "So, I'd rather stay silent."

Melania sighed loudly and moved in front of her daughter, blocking her view. Her petite figure reminded of a young girl, but her wrinkled face, plastered with cold features and her chestnut hair tied in a tight low bun screamed bumptious royalty. This woman always looked rich from head to toe, dressed in a beautiful Prussian blue gown that was embracing her slim body, a silver necklace with an oval sapphire hanging around her neck, and a silver opulent ring with a skull and the words tojours pur engraved on it. Of course, the family had an emblem, they were called The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black for a reason.

_Blood purity._

Rubbish, in Hydra's point of view. She couldn't care less about this concept, even though she was raised to despise the muggle-borns.

"We will find a way.. I promise." Melania interrupted her daughter's little judgemental inner monologue about the family beliefs.

"Do not make promises you cannot keep, mother." she scoffed, giving her a cold glare, hence she pressed her red lips in a thin line. And for a moment she remained silent, analysing every inch of Hydra's face like she was trying to memorise it.

"Mother!" Lucretia's high pitched voice echoed in the once quiet house. "We are going to be late if we don't leave now!" Melania turned her head towards her other two children sitting in the doorframe, dressed in their school uniforms while the house elves were bringing down their trunks.

"Don't tell them.. not yet." Hydra whispered, turning her back to her siblings so they could 't understand what she was saying and her mother nodded reassuring.

"Aren't you coming?" Orion asked his older sister, coming by her side, eyeing her curiously.

"I'm still not feeling well, but I will probably join you later this week." Hydra lied to her little brother and he gave her a small smile, while Lucretia was looking at her in disgust. She was the one who found her last night passed out in the garden. Hydra shook her head, trying to push away the awful memories.

"Your father is staying home with you." Melania informed her daughter that quietly nodded at her. Hydra hated being alone with her father, they never got along and every time they were trying to communicate, they ended up fighting. More like him screaming at the poor girl.

Hydra tried to clear her mind, to get rid of these thoughts and instead of remaining calm and peaceful, she only got angrier and angrier as she reminisced this summer events. All the evenings she spent training to become a bloody auror, all the mornings she lost to dancing and guitar lessons, all the afternoons she lost to stupid balls the Black family was having.. The young witch could have been out, exploring the world and making new friends, new memories ..

All the time she has wasted.. Her precious time that she never appreciated enough. She neglected her friends that were muggles because of this stupid pure blood supremacy.. Hydra was so wrong to listen to them.. so wrong..

"Hello, darling." Arcturus Black, her father, spoke in a soothing voice, snapping her out of her thoughts. "How are you feeling?" she shifted in her seat uncomfortably, then glanced at him with her best death stare.

He walked in the large luxurious room like a true royalty, his posture straight and his head high up. Arcturus was a good looking man, only in his forties, tall with dark curls that were kept into place by being slicked back with gel. His eyes were piercing blue and cold as ice and his cheekbones were protruding. Arcturus dressed just like his wife, in such expensive clothes, worth more than a normal wizard's monthly budget, perhaps even more.

Today he wore his black conservative robes, high collared and embroidered with silver threads. He was holding an ebony cane with an prominent skull in his left hand, and on his right hand the massive family ring was adorning on his index finger.

"We will hire the best healers in the world." he assured his daughter as he sat down in the armchair that was placed in front of hers. "There must be a way."

"There is not." Hydra simply stated, avoiding his gaze.

"Why are you giving up?" he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, trying to hide his hurt expression. Hiding and repressing their emotions.. such a habit in the Black family.

"I am not giving up." Hydra stared deeply into his eyes. "But there is nothing to fight for. I am dying.. And there's nothing you or anyone in this world could do about it." She asserted because she has made her peace with it.

"We have time.. we do, we do." he babbled, frowning at her words.

"Eighteen months, more or less." Hydra said annoyed, "Eighteen months that I will spend however I want."

He opened his mouth to protest but she shushed him off immediately. She didn't want to hear his opinion on how she should live the rest of her life. Her family.. everyone actually.. lost their right to have an opinion this morning when Hydra was diagnosed with Creutzfeld-Jakob disease.

"I won't return to Hogwarts, if that's what you wanted to say."

"You can't just put a stop on your life, Hydra." Arcturus chided her and she rolls her eyes.

"I am not. I have a lot of things left to try. I just don't see why I need education if I am going to die soon." Hydra contended, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You are not going to.. to... No, you're not." he mumbled, avoiding the word like that's going to make any difference.

"Say it." she hisses. "Say the word." He remained silent and clenches his jaw. "You didn't have a problem with it until now." Hydra snarled, remembering their fights over the years, the beatings he used to give her.

She felt her mind getting tugged in a dreadful memory from a couple of years ago when she was just a little girl who knew no mercy.

_Hydra's whole body trembled as she spat out the blood filling her mouth._

_"Stand up!" her father boomed, pointing his wand at her._

"I.. I can't." her voice cracked in a whisper, the effort of talking making her lungs ache even more. "You're killing me!"

"Good. You will be better dead than alive, staining our family noble name." he shot another dark curse at his daughter and she rolled to the side clutching her stomach in pain. Tears were rolling down her face and she cried out in pain until no sound escaped her lips anymore.

_"What have I ever done to you?" Hydra yelled with the last crumb of strength she had._

_"You're a disgrace to this family!" he spat his words, looking at her in aversion, "Crucio!"_

"Hydra." Arcturus tried to snap her out of her thoughts, but with no success. He eyes his daughter who was now slightly trembling.

_She screamed in pain, feeling her insides being torn apart and her skin pierced with hundreds of sharp knives. She couldn't breathe and her spine felt ablaze._

"Hydra!" He yelled, but she was unresponsive. She had a blank expression plastered on her face, but her eyes were betraying her. Fear was glittering in them.

_"Stop, Arcturus! You're killing her!" her mother tried to stop him as Hydra clawed at the ground with her bare fingernails, screaming in pain._

"Snap out of it!" Arcturus shook her, but the memory was stronger then Hydra's will to come back to reality.

_"She deserves to die."_

'Maybe I do.' she thought, shutting down all her emotions before looking her father in the eyes. She sat up and left the lounge without a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!💚
> 
> I am so excited about this book and I really hope you will enjoy it!  
> Here are some facts about the disease Hydra has been diagnosed with!
> 
> ❗️Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (CJD) ❗️  
> is a rare, fatal brain disease that causes rapid, progressive dementia and associated neuromuscular disturbances. It is a horrible disease that leads to a gruesome death. People experience mood swings, numbness, uncontrollable body movements, and other neurological symptoms. It is similar to Alzheimer, another disease that affects the brain.
> 
> The course of the disease takes around 18 months from the first appearance of symptoms to death, although it can be faster in some cases. There is no treatment, and the disease is always fatal. 
> 
> There are three ways people can get CJD:  
> 1) it can occur sporadically;  
> 2) it can be inherited;  
> 3) it can be transmitted through infection.
> 
> Even when it occurs by infection, CJD isn't contagious in the usual sense. Only a few cases have arisen after exposure to an infected individual. Infection of this type occurs as an accidental consequence of a medical procedure that uses tainted human matter or surgical instruments. This can happen with corneal transplants, implantation of electrodes in the brain, or contaminated surgical instruments. Normal human contact is not enough to spread the disease.


	4. Chapter Three

** Back to school **

The sound of her angry footsteps echoed loudly in the empty and cold corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The torches' fire flickered as she passed them and her black new robes fluttered around her. She could hear the portraits whispering and talking as she strolled down to the Great Hall.

"Poor girl.." Hydra perceived an older woman's voice.

"So young and talented.." a male murmured and another agreed.

Hydra tried to ignore them focusing on her thoughts. She had to get out of this school. She would not spend the rest of her days behind these walls, no way. The only problem was that they won't let her go, so the only solution was to get expelled, of course. Another problem would be Armando Dippet, the headmaster, who was well known for his kindness, if we should call it that. He never expelled a student before. But Hydra had her own reputation and ambitions, and on top of that she was well known as a trouble maker.

"Do you think she will become a ghost?"

_Enough._

"Oh, for sure. Just look at her. She doesn't want to die."

_Stop._

"Who does?"

"SHUT UP!" Hydra thundered, stopping in her tracks. The corridor immediately went silent and she took deep breaths to calm down. Peeves popped up from a wall with a worried look plastered on his face.

"Is it true?" There was a moment of silence and Hydra avoided eye contact. "Is it true what they're saying?"

The girl took another deep breath and sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Yes."

"Oh, my little delinquent." The poltergeist whispered sadly. He was attached to Hydra more than he was to any other student. She always helped him with his pranks and had good laughs with her.

"I can't talk right now, but I'll see you later to discuss about the greatest prank in history." She said and dazed away.

"Which was?" Peeves yelled and Hydra slightly turned her head towards him.

"I don't know. We haven't planned it yet." Peeves let out an evil cackle and went invisible and Hydra shook her head amused.

She walked trough the huge wooden doors of the Great Hall and the familiar long tables which were full of students came into view. Thousands and thousands of candles were floating in mid air under the bewitched velvety black ceiling dotted with stars.

Her eyes landed on the table on the top of the hall where the professors were dinning and she locked eyes with the headmaster who gave her a warm smile which she didn't bother to return. Hydra could feel the students eyeing her curiously, they were probably wandering why she arrived a week late to school.She darted to the Hufflepuff table ignoring everyone on her way there and she sat down next to her friends.

Next to her was Delilah Osborne, a petite and blonde girl with electric blue eyes. Delilah pulled her into a tight hug and Hydra awkwardly patted her on the back. While Delilah was kind, affectionate and technically a ray of sunshine in everyone's life, Hydra was reserved and cold. She wasn't like this on purpose, it was the only way she knew.

Of course, Hydra talked and laughed and had a lot of friends, but none of them knew what she was actually going trough. She never trusted anyone enough to vent at them about her problems or her feelings, which she had a hard time trying to understand.

"Why didn't you write to us?" Delilah asked, raising an eyebrow at her friend.

"Yes, we were worried about you." a tall girl with curly black hair joined their conversation. Serenity Yalden. She was wearing her red Gryffindor robes that were beautifully contrasting with her dark skin as she sat down in front of the two Hufflepuffs.

"Training." Hydra lied through her teeth. "My master had to teach me some new spells since there are more attacks. It's better to be prepared." She said what her parents told her to say, verbatim.

"Oh. So when will you become an auror?" Delilah asked again, making Hydra to seethe.

 _Never! I will never become a bloody auror because I'll die before finishing my training._ She yelled in her head, but her facial expressions didn't betray her. She remained calm and managed to force a small smile.

"Probably after graduation."

"What happens after the graduation?" a Ravenclaw boy sat down next to Serenity, brushing his cinnamon brown hair out of his face. Jacob Knight, the brain of their group, obviously.

"Hydra will become an auror! Isn't that amazing?" Serenity jabbered and Jacob's eyes went wider.

"That's incredible! You will make it to the history books! The youngest auror of all times!" He mused, waving with his hand and looking at the ceiling like he was seeing into the future.

Hydra gulped hard, trying to hold back any emotions that could expose her. She had to get better at hiding the truth. It would be hard to trick Delilah because she was her roommate and she will definitely see her taking her potions.

The teachers were already taken care of. Her parents had a meeting with them a few hours earlier and explained the whole situation. Hydra's disease was to be kept a secret and it was fine by her, she didn't want anyone's pity looks.

"We are throwing a party tonight, you are all invited!" Serenity extolled and Hydra seemed to be dragged out of her thoughts by her friend's loud voice. Hydra liked parties, especially the Gryffindor ones. They were the best. Well, the best out of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. The Slytherin parties were Slytherins only. There were rare occasions in which students from other houses got invited to their parties. Once, Hydra heard a fellow Hufflepuff saying how wild their parties were, but she couldn't believe without seeing with her own eyes.

"Thank Merlin you are throwing the party! There will be no Slytherins, right?" Delilah asked, looking over at their table. She was eyeing Reinhard Lestrange, the ultimate prick. He always bullied her for being a muggle-born. Hydra knew better than anyone how their cunning folks felt towards the mudbloods. Her own siblings and well, entire family, were Slytherins with a pure-blood obsession.

Despite living among them, Hydra never hated on these witches and wizards, but she had the bad habit of calling them mudbloods. This was only because she grown up hearing this word all the time, but she was trying hard to avoid it, even though it was always on the tip of her tongue.

"Well, everyone is invited, but I doubt they will come." Jacob assured her and Delilah nodded quietly. Hydra's blood was boiling at the thought of her friend being afraid of these arseholes and that was the moment she knew. She knew what she had to do to get expelled: attack Lestrange, beat him up a little. She was aware of him being stronger, but she was smarter.

She turned her head so she can get a better look at Delilah. She was extremely beautiful, her long dirty blonde hair falling straight on her back, and the innocent look that she was always carrying on her face. She was a good friend, she truly was and Hydra felt bad for picking her only for her blood status.

Hydra's ambitions always driven her in the wrong directions, but she always achieved what she wanted. So at the beginning of her first school year here at Hogwarts, she made sure to befriend some muggle-borns and halfbloods, just to piss off her parents. And it worked, they were fuming when they found out and she received a horrible punishment. She was crucioed by her father for half an hour straight. After that she could barely walk or talk. It took her two weeks to regain her strength.

Attacking Lestrange will be a piece of cake for her and it will guarantee her a first class ticket out of Hogwarts. She knew Lestrange since she was little. His family was always invited at the Black's parties. Peeves was going to be trilled when he will find out what Hydra was planning.

"Hydra! Are you even listening?" Delilah shook her arm and she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Yes, yes. What were we talking about?" Hydra directed her attention to her friends, for the first time this evening.

"The party is tonight? Are you coming?" Serenity looked at her, already knowing the answer. Hydra would never miss a party, especially now. She was planning to spend a good time here before leaving.

"I don't even know why you're still asking me." a smirk played on her lips and Serenity laughed.

"Maybe she will talk to Isaac this time." Delilah whispered to Serenity, covering the side of her mouth with her left hand. Hydra shoved her shoulder playfully and rolled her eyes.

"I heard you." she grumbled, giving them a -no, it's not going to happen- look. "I don't like him. I just said he's hot." she explained. "Plus, you know I don't date."

"Well, you should! We are teenagers, what else are we supposed to do?" Serenity laughed and the others joined her, except Hydra. She stayed silent and examined her friends. She noticed Delilah's subtle glances at Jacob and how she giggled at his jokes, it was clearly she liked him. Serenity was zestful as always, talking about the party and how wasted she was going to get and Jacob, well, Jacob was more silent. Hydra liked that about him. He knew when to shut up and when to talk, he was Mr. Perfection in flesh and bones.

But even though they all had good qualities, they were shallow. Perhaps because they didn't know when they were going to die. Hydra even had a predicted day, 9 December 1942. She was to leave Hogwarts in her fifth year, on first of December, to go at St. Mungo's hospital and await for her death.

Hydra had a different perspective on a lot of aspects, one of them being her dating life. Until now, she never really considered being with someone. She had better things to do. But now that she was thinking about it, she couldn't die a virgin. She didn't even had her first kiss yet. Her friends were right, she had to start dating.

"Yeah, you're right. Totally. Dating -the thing I desire the most in life." Hydra jeered, standing up. "See you tonight!"

And with that, she left. She walked down to the basement, and strolled trough the right-hand side of the kitchen corridor, until she reached the nook where the entrance was placed. Hydra tapped the barrel two from the bottom, in the middle of the second row, in the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff'.

She crawled up the earthy passage and entered the round, low-ceilinged room, that reminisced a badger's sett. Hydra never really liked the cheerful decorated room, but she found it extremely cosy. The furniture was probably made of beech wood, the honey-like colour contrasting with the black wooden floor and the green plants that were placed on round shelves. At the top of the walls, there were small, round windows, levelled with the ground, that displayed the fresh grass and some dandelions.

Hydra was a little bit annoyed by the dangling ferns and ivies that brushed the top of her head as she passed trough the room. She opened the round door that led to the girls' dormitories and headed straight to her bedroom.

She took a quick shower, knowing that she wouldn't be able to after the party. It would be a miracle if she would actually get back to her bedroom and not fall asleep somewhere in the Gryffindor common room.

She put on a pair of black, high-waisted pants that were pretty loose and a dark blue shirt with short sleeves. She never liked wearing dresses because she couldn't move freely, without worrying that she would get too exposed. Hydra didn't bother with her hair either, she just brushed it into a low bun, just like her mother did.

Delilah burst trough the door and almost ran into Hydra on her way to the closet. She frantically searched something there, while Hydra sat down on the bed, watching her roommate turning their room into a mess. Clothes flew out of the closet and a shoe almost hit Hydra in the head.

"Watch where you're throwing! You could have killed me!" she dramatically exclaimed, but Delilah didn't answer. When she finally stepped away, she turned to Hydra and panic was written all over her face.

"Have you seen my new dress? I can't find it!"

"You mean the dress you asked me to put in my closet? Because mine is more organised?" Hydra snickered and Delilah's mouth opened in realisation. She slowly walked to her friend's closet and opened it, only to see her dress on a hanger, perfectly neat.

"You are a life saver, you know that?"

"Well that's what I'm training for." a cocky smirk played on her lips and Delilah rolled her eyes.

"Stop smirking and get ready! We don't want to get there when everyone is already passed out on the floor!" Delilah threw another piece of clothing at her friend, but Hydra sent it back with a flick of her wand.

"First of all, I am ready." Hydra stood up and crossed her arms. "Second of all, you have to clean this mess."

Delilah sighed loudly and performed the cleaning spell. The clothes started folding themselves and got back into their places, while Delilah undressed and put on her new dress. She admired herself in the mirror and how the dress hugged tightly her torso and went loose from her waist to her knees. She looked just like a good princess, waiting for her Prince Charming. Hydra almost laughed at that thought, but she contained herself.

"Can you help me with the zipper?" Hydra only nodded and helped her friend. "Thank you! And you, under no circumstances, are going to wear that." Delilah pointed to her clothes and Hydra raised her eyebrows.

"You are not telling me how to dress. I like this." Even though Hydra wasn't wearing a dress, she looked rich and elegant. Her shirt had a small, decent cleavage and the pants were tight enough to show her small waist.

"But, but there are going to be beautiful boys there." she pleaded with puppy eyes.

"And?" Hydra nonchalantly asked.

"Isaac will be there." Delilah simpered, flashing her left eyebrow at her roommate.

"So let him be. I couldn't care less." Hydra said, spraying some perfume on her neck. "Honestly, Lilah, when are going to get that I am not interested in him?"

"Nonetheless, you said he was hot and you also said, and I quote I would like to try him out sometimes." she laughed and Hydra scoffed annoyed.

"That was last year!"

"You sounded exactly like an over-confident Gryffindor." Delilah snickered and Hydra's face dropped immediately.

"Take that back, you pink-painted Ravenclaw!" Hydra fired back.

"You did not.." Delilah gasped and after a few seconds of intense staring, they both broke out laughing.

For some unknown reason, Delilah hated Ravenclaws, except Jacob, and she refused to explain why. Fortunately, she knew how to take a joke and so did Hydra. Out of their little group, they got along the best. Perhaps because they were roommates and they had more time to bond. And still, Hydra couldn't trust her entirely and she felt bad for that. Delilah trusted Hydra with her deepest secrets about her family situation.

Hydra always knew Delilah came from a poor family, but never imagined that her father would be a drunk who spends all the money and beats his wife and child, and her mother to be a prostitute who barely showed up home anymore.

Hydra watched Delilah sitting down at her desk and doing her makeup.

"Do you like doing this?" she walked behind her and looked in the mirror to catch Delilah's eyes.

"Makeup? Yes, I love it." she gave a big smile and she applied some more blush on her cheeks.

"But don't you feel like.."

"Like what?" Delilah pushed her to continue.

"Like we are supposed to be this way. Like it's not right if you are any different." Hydra sighed, looking out the small window.

"Well, yes.. but material things like this," she stuck up her mascara, "they don't define us. So if you don't like wearing makeup and dresses, then don't. But if you do it just to prove that you don't want to fit in this society's standards , just because you're stubborn," she gave Hydra an intense glare, pointing out the obvious, "then it's not worth the stress. Just do what you love! Stop trying to prove anyone that you're different! What is being wrong with being like everyone else?"

If only she knew.. If only she knew why Hydra was trying so hard to escape these patterns. She hated being associated with her family, she saw them as insufferable and unapproachable people who thought that money and looks were everything. And there were so many who had this same ideology.

Hydra wanted to be authentic. She wanted to do things her way, but since she was little she was oppressed. She was forced to wear corsets and pompous dresses, as well as heavy jewellery. She also had to take classes about things she never cared about, like dancing. And when she actually wanted to learn something, Quidditch, she was denied. Her parents told her it was a brutal sport and it was not lady-like.

The closest Hydra got to Quidditch was when she learned riding a broom, during training as an auror. She was extremely skilled and her teacher, Mrs. Anquetil, was proud of her. It was safe to say that Hydra saw her teacher as a friend, even a mother figure.

"First of all.." Hydra started with feigned offensiveness.

"Nah-ah. Don't you dare deny it." Delilah walked over to her nightstand to take her earrings.

"There's nothing wrong with being ordinary." Hydra jeered and Delilah snapped her head at the rude Hufflepuff. She had a raised eyebrow and her gaze was so murderous that Hydra coughed, trying to save herself from this situation. "I mean- I mean being like everyone else."

Hydra expected her friend to be mad, but Delilah turned at her with a warm smile. "That's a better word. And you don't have to be like the others. Just be yourself!" She squeezed Hydra's shoulders and she jerked away, shivering.

"Why did you do that? You know I hate it!" Hydra tried to shake the uncomfortable feeling away, she hated that shoulder and neck massage, and even just squeezing. Delilah laughed and shook her head at Hydra's inflated reaction. She gave up trying to make Hydra change, if she liked it than she should wear it.

Hydra dragged Delilah out of the room because she wouldn't stop fixing herself in the mirror, event though there was nothing wrong with her. The two girls ran trough the deserted corridors as quietly as they could, they didn't want to get caught by the prefects, especially the Slytherin ones.

The students had this unwritten rule, if there was a party and everyone was welcomed, the prefects on duty won't bust them and won't take points, unless they catch them on the corridors. Usually, the prefects avoided the corridors around the house that was holding the party, but the Slytherins had a pleasure in breaking the rules, especially when they weren't the ones who were throwing the party.

Fortunately, the two Hufflepuffs managed to get to the Gryffindor tower without getting caught. They were standing in front of the portrait of The Fat Lady and Delilah whispered the password, 'Fortuna Major'.

They entered the abnormally large common room that was surely enchanted and they strolled to a table to get some drinks. The room was full of students and Hydra was surprised to see some Slytherins dancing with some Hufflepuffs. The loud music pumped trough their veins and Hydra felt the sudden urge to dance. She drank the whole glass of fire whiskey in a gulp and yelled over the music to Delilah "I am going to dance! Are you coming?", but her friend shook her head in disagreement. Delilah was shy, while Hydra was outgoing, if she wanted.

On the dance floor, Hydra met her already drunk friend, Serenity. Despite of her name, the girl was a wild one. She was always down to adventures, sneaking out, skipping classes and Hydra liked her for that.

"Let's get waisted!" Serenity screamed and Hydra laughed taking the glass of alcohol that her friend was giving her.

"Fine! But if you puke on me I'll ditch you!" Hydra screamed back at her and they both laughed and started dancing.

It went like that almost the whole night. Delilah joined them at some point, but she swiftly left to look for Jacob. Hydra's mind was foggy, but she was still aware of what she was doing. Her body was a little numb and her throat burned from all the alcohol she consumed, but she loved the feeling.

The Hufflepuff took a few steps back to show Serenity some dance moves, but she bumped into someone's back.

"Oh, I'm sorry." she turned around to see a tall Gryffindor with brown locks hanging on his forehead.

"It's alright. I am Isaac !" he smiled and Hydra was taken aback by his beauty. She stared into his green eyes for a second, before finding her strength to speak.

"I'm Hydra." she gave him one of her best smiles and she could swear she saw him blush.

"Oh, I think I know you from last year. We had Herbology together, right?" he recalled and Hydra nodded, trying to stand straight and keep her balance.

"Do you want to walk out a bit?" he asked putting a hand on her upper arm.

"Yes, I think it's for the best." Hydra laughed and they both walked out the common room.

They were walking trough the empty corridors when Hydra laughed a little too loud and Isaac covered her mouth with his hand, shushing her.

"Who is there?" a strong male voice came from right around the corner and they both giggled silently. It probably was a prefect, hopefully not a Slytherin.

"Act sober and follow my lead." Isaac instructed Hydra, trying to bite down his smile, he was dizzy too.

Hydra nodded and they recommenced walking straight forward and they almost bumped into the.. Slytherin prefect. They were doomed. He was tall, taller than Isaac, and had wavy, dark hair and dark, dark eyes. Hydra couldn't make out the colour of his eyes, she was too plastered, but she knew they were dark and cold.

"You are out past curfew." he states, his tone dull. Hydra analysed him and found him familiar.

_Of course he is familiar, he studies in the same school as you!_

"She's not feeling well, I am taking her to the infirmary." Isaac spoke loudly and assertive. She could sense some kind of grudge between them.

The prefect looked at them sceptically and thank Merlin they weren't wearing their robes, otherwise he would know they weren't from the same house.

"Then, I can take her. You go back to your common room, immediately." he demanded and Hydra tried hard not to scoff.

"No, I will take her myself." Isaac's grip on her arm tightens a little, but not enough to hurt her. It was kind of a turning her on, but her eyes wouldn't leave the handsome prefect.

"Don't cross me." the Slytherin hissed. "I am a prefect after all."

_Merlin, the nerve these prefects have, thinking they are better than everyone else. I can't stand them._

"I am a prefect too, Riddle." Isaac seethed and this boy, Riddle, smirks.

_Oh, maybe not all prefects are that bad.. And Riddle.. Why does his name sounds so familiar?_

Hydra struggled to remember something about this, until something in her mind clicked. Lucretia.

The Slytherin standing in front of her was Tom Riddle, Lucretia's little crush. She always talked about him and how perfect he was, even her parents spoke highly of him. How could they think like that about a stranger and not about their own daughter?

"I would like to agree with you, but I don't know who you are. And even if I knew, you aren't wearing your badge." Tom smirked at them and Isaac scoffed.

"Get over yourself!" Hydra hissed and Tom looked down at her. Even if she was 1,68 (5 feet 6 inches), she felt so little compared to him. He seemed around 1,80 (5 feet 11 inches) and it made him look so dominant.

"You should hold on to your boyfriend's arm a little tighter, you stumbled just because you said three words." he scoffed eyeing Hydra from head to toes.

"I am not drunk!" Hydra backfired, jerking away from the Gryffindor and stepping closer to Mr. Perfect, keeping her balance.

"I didn't say you were. You just incriminated yourself." Tom grinned devilishly and Hydra rolled her eyes, before walking past him and heading to her dorm.

"Come back here!" he yelled after her, but she didn't stop.

"Sorry, I'm done socialising tonight." Hydra sneered and disappeared in the dark corridors. As she got further from the boys who continued fighting, their voice dispersed into the night's silence.

Hydra entered her room and stepped out of her clothes. Surprisingly she felt good enough to take another shower so she took her night gown and entered their bewitched bathroom. She and Delilah worked hard to transfigure one of their closets into a bathroom, it was a spell Hydra found in one of the old books from her attic.

She opened the door to the bathroom only to see that the light was on and the shower was running. It took Hydra a minute to distinguish the two silhouettes behind the glass wall: Delilah and Jacob.

"Bloody Hell!" Hydra gasped and ran out of the bathroom. She shut the door and put on her silky black night gown and headed to the Gryffindor Tower, for the second time that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!💚
> 
> I am having a hard time writing the first chapters because there is not much action in them, but they are also essential for the book because they have to be interesting and captivating. Basically, what I am saying is that I hate writing them and I can't wait to get to the action.
> 
> Explanation!
> 
> I know there are usually 4 to 5 students in a dorm room, but I feel like it was way too crowded and that Hogwarts definitely had the resources for more rooms. So in my book, a dorm is for only two students, the room is obviously smaller, but it is more comfortable, intimate and personalized.
> 
> I know that Tom is supposed to be around 1,93 meters (6 feet four inches), but that is just so tall and with that height I picture him scrawny, so I like to think that he is around 1,80, just a little bit taller than Christian Coulson.  
> For a matter of fact, I didn't want Tom to be 1,75 like Christian because I wanted him to be taller than Hydra.
> 
> If you have any other questions please ask!


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